Persona: Filii Noctis
by ExistentialBeliever
Summary: 'The consequences of my actions are mine alone to bear. By signing my name I acknowledge that I chooseth this fate of my own freewill.' As the holders of the wild card would come to learn, their contract was binding and absolute. Five years after the advent of Nyx, fate has brought both to the sleepy town of Inaba, where the new shadow of the fall loomed.
1. Prelude to the Night

_In the primordial world, there was night and darkness._

_On the edge of that hollowed world, the night took darkness as her consort. Enveloped by dark mist, she conceived and gave birth._

_Her children were many, born of misery and blights. _

_Through them, her dominion upon mankind was complete. _

_Through them, mankind had learned the taste of despair_

* * *

**Graduation Day, Two Months after Nyx's Descent**

The Nyx Annihilation Team's reunion occurred during a warm day in March.

Minato Arisato was the first to arrive on the rooftop. He had been there since the early morning and decided to stick around until the agreed upon time. His eyes were closed, but his ears wriggled at the jumble of midday sounds, a rare occasion when he had chosen not to put on the headphone. The bustling lives within Tatsumi Port Island should have lifted his spirit, but there was a pinch of guilt mixed in with all the relief.

"You're early, Minato-kun, are you planning to skip the graduation ceremony?"

Minato opened his eyes to see Fuuka peeking through the partially open door. She smiled as their eyes met.

"Oh, sorry, did I wake you?"

"Not really…and the real highlight of the graduation day for us is here," Minato replied, rubbing his eyes. The pair were strained and slightly bloodshot. "Besides, I guess it feels…nice to drop that model student act once in a while. Don't think I have the energy to be stay awake through all the droning..."

Minato chuckled, but Fuuka realized that he hadn't been joking as she came to occupy the seat beside him. Signs of weariness were being revealed through the smile. "Have you been sleeping properly? You look..."

"Half-dead?" Minato filled the word in, but a hand kneading his temple gave it little credit as a joke. "Nah, I actually feel better than I look."

"Still...would you like to rest a bit?" Fuuka asked sheepishly and offered her lap. Her cheeks lighted to a pink hue. "I-I'm sorry if I suggested anything weird. I mean you don't have to if you don't want…"

"Actually, sure…I'd like that." Minato felt his own cheeks heating up, but not just from embarrassment. His face had been on fire, ever since he woke up.

With Fuuka's help, Minato managed to lean toward the right side. Both stiffened up a little as they came into contact.

"Guess this can be quite embarrassing when we are in the school..." Fuuka said, her blush deepening. "But I've made up my mind to be bolder around you."

"And I'm grateful for it."

"Minato-kun…can you stay still for a second?" Just as they were getting used to this new posture, Fuuka's look became clouded with worry. Her cusped hand over Minato's forehead confirmed her concerns. "I'd thought so…You should go to the nurse office with this kind of fever."

"I'll get myself to the nurse office after everyone's here and Junpei actually finishes that celebratory dance he promised," Minato forced himself to maintain a reassuring smile.

"But…"

"You know I just can't afford to miss today. Come on, it won't be long. Maybe just an hour." Minato took Fuuka's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"I trust your judgment," Fuuka said, giving up. "But...how about a little sleep? I'll wake you up when everyone is here."

Minato nodded. That was a fair compromise. "I'll wake up all fresh and healthy after a little nap. Don't you worry, everything's good and fine."

"But it's not," Fuuka said. She'd been with him long enough to know when Minato was resorting to a little dose of white lie. "Don't just say that. Tell me what's wrong."

Minato heaved a long and exhausted sigh. She caught him like a naughty child, trying to hide a wet blanket. Might as well come clean.

One thought had been gnawing his mind. He kept it secret from the rest in fear that they would condemn his decision. A part of him knew that this was supposed to be the time of his heroic passing. Once he closed his eyes, there would be no waking up, an almost too perfect ending for a hero. After exhausting his very life to form the Great Seal, the savior of mankind would sleep for one final time and never wake up.

But it was not meant to be.

For Minato, that was the path unchosen. His heart still kept beating steadily, and the warmth of life still remained inside him, though small and weakening with time.

He couldn't bring himself to share the secret with the rest of SEES, but if it was her…

If only her…

"Fuuka…You're right." He began "There's something I have to say, something to…confess. It's about that night…on top of the tower…"

"I'm listening." Fuuka nodded, but only awkward silence followed. "Minato-kun…?"

Minato covered his forehead with one hand and stopped. Maybe, it was the feverish heat that weakened his will, but hesitation was relentless and it wouldn't let him pass. "Sorry, I guess it's a bit hard to say…"

"In that case…" Fuuka sighed and laid one hand on his cheek, soothingly cold against his feverish skin. "Let's wait until you're feeling better, then I'll listen whatever you want to talk about. I'm sorry if I was pushing you."

_…You weren't, but I just don't think I'll ever be ready… _The somber thought came over Minato for a second and faded away just as quickly. Fuuka's unconditional kindness was a both a blessing and setback on his side.

If she had pushed him more, he might have confessed. The cowardly side of him seized the chance when she had offered an easy way out. Minato himself doubted that he could vomit those same words out, now that they had been swallow.

With no more left to be said, Minato finally surrendered to the fatigue. "I'll be sleeping for a while. Will you stay with me until then?"

"Don't worry," Fuuka sealed the promise with her usual forgiving smile. "I'll be here."

"Thanks…"

"Sweet dreams, Minato-kun. I'll stay beside you forever" Fuuka purred. Her finger traced the line on his forehead, brushing away stray bangs.

Sleep came to him quickly. Senses gradually faded, from the breezes' caress to the softness of her lap, but the darkness of sleep offered him no refuge. When all other thoughts had ceased and the world around him faded to oblivion, only a single emotion remained.

_…I'm sorry…_

The crushing guilt from the sin he committed atop that tower, where the destined savior had betrayed mankind.

_…I couldn't stop her…_

Words escaped from Minato's lips as the grip on his thought process began to ease. To most, they must have seemed like delirious fever talk.

Only Minato knew the unforgiving weight behind every words.

_…Nyx…_

**Chapter 1: Prelude to the Night**

_It has been a long time, brother. Have you decide to return home?_

_That I did. I've decided to return to our mother._

_A pleasant surprise…but what had happened to the high hope you had placed on their…boundless capability?_

_I had hoped for too much and perhaps too soon. As it stand, my hope is betrayed. I have no more interest in their kind. _

_Indeed, indeed, but today is fine day nonetheless. Mother! Father! Your wayward child has returned! _

**Velvet Room**

Minato Arisato stirred silently out of shallow sleep. The purple ambience seeped through his half-open eyes. From that, his location was obvious. This wasn't the first time he had been rudely summoned.

When his eyes fully opened, the small violet cubicle came into view, an elevator-like space that invoked a feeling of nostalgia. Years had flown by since he had last set foot on this mysterious room. This out-of-the-blue invitation perked his curiosity as well as annoyance.

Minato leaned against the backrest and stared questioningly at the two regular inhabitants of the room. A curtain of drowsiness draped over his mind, but hadn't completely stopped the myriad questions that were beginning to surface.

"Welcome back. It's been so long since you've last required our service," Elizabeth began. Beside her stood another woman. "Allow me to introduce my sister, Margaret. Like myself, she is also resident of this place."

Minato turned his eyes to the stranger that occupied the space on Igor's left side. He could see certain resemblances, although compared to the spontaneous and absent-minded Elizabeth she seemed somehow a little more composed and more refined.

"My name is Margaret. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Yes, it's a pleasure," Minato nodded curtly in acknowledgement. "I appreciate this reunion, but would you mind if I ask why I find myself here again?"

"And I shall gladly answer, but for now I would have to ask you to be patient, Master Minato," Igor said, raising one hand to silence his guest. "We are awaiting another. I believe he will join us soon…very soon, in fact."

"I just don't have a lot of time, so why not just get to the point...?" Minato pressed. The unexpected summons turned him uncharacteristically defensive. "I'm sure this is about what I did five years ago…? If you're going to scold me for being a coward, just get it over with."

"Master Minato, while you are correct in the first regard, I would have to elaborate that your contract has not been broken as of yet. Your burden as the savior of humankind is one that you have chosen upon yourself. The contract merely specifies that you, as a holder of the wild card, be responsible for all your decisions," Igor said, following a small snicker at his guest's antics.

"So what I did and what I'm going to do is my business."

"Precisely: a choice is a choice no matter what path have been chosen, and I merely assist in whatever path you should decide to take. Good or bad, law or chaos, judgment is not a part of my duty."

"Well, thank you for the clarification," Minato grumbled, unconvinced. "First off, why don't you let me out of here, so I can go on doing what I want to do?"

"Well, what's interesting here is that the decisions you've made actually bear some direct, albeit unexpected, consequences on the situation at hand. And therefore..." Igor added, taking no note of Minato's apparent and increasing displeasure. "I believe it is the best time to remind you of our contract and your responsibility."

"Besides," Elizabeth said, "it's been so long since you've last visited us. I'll have you know, it was quite boring with just me and Master Igor. He's always such a killjoy," she added, casting an accusing glance at Igor.

Igor waved Elizabeth off and continued. "We might have resorted to a rather crude invitation, but today marks an opportune meeting. Ah, I believe our final actor is here."

Minato heard the door behind him creak. Another young man walked in and occupied the seat beside him.

He wore a lab coat over a black polo shirt and jeans. The greyish hair gave him a distinct look, a small quirk in his otherwise neutral appearance. He seemed too young, too casually dressed to possibly be a working scientist. Minato's better guess placed him as a college student.

"Narukami Yu."

"Minato Arisato

Both men exchanged introductions, but remained without any intent to pursue further conversation. The dream-like visit to the velvet room left both with a sort of lethargy. Just the common courtesy was enough.

Margaret offered a small wave to the man, who returned the gesture. The two spoke briefly before a theatrical clap from Igor returned all attention back to the issue at hand.

"A rough journey awaits, but I believe both of you have the capability to wade through the current of fate," Igor said.

Simultaneously, Elizabeth and Margaret presented parchments before Minato and Yu, along with a quill and an inkpot for each. "Your signature here please," Elizabeth said to Minato. "For the contract's renewal."

He scowled. He had signed this very same contract five years ago. Beneath the cursive words that spelled his name was a line requiring another signature. "I don't suppose there'll be a way to get myself out of this journey, is there?"

The occupants of the velvet room only maintained their mysterious silence to his question. The so-called 'Narukami Yu' seemed to have finished his paperwork without much qualm. Their stares only egged him on to accept the contract.

"Guess not," Minato mumbled, but nevertheless took the quill in his hand and dipped it in the ink pot. "The clauses are still the same, I hope."

"Yes, as a matter of fact we don't have the authority to change them." Appearing satisfied with the renewal of both contracts, Igor produced a stack of tarot cards from within his sleeves and proceeded to shuffle with a ritualistic reverence.

"Now, let us proceed. Would you believe that held within these cards is the power to reveal all that you wish to know? The tangle of fates, desires, and destinies can be shown in their purest form, but now I suspect that both of you would be most curious as to your role in this journey." Two cards were flicked from the stack. Each landed in front of Minato and Yu. "Please go ahead, the cards are meant for you."

Simultaneously, both Minato and Yu flipped up their tarot cards. The image in both showed the silhouette of a traveler teetering off a cliff. The two men exchanged a glance.

There wasn't a mistake. Both of them received the same card.

The fool, the first major arcana.

"That's strange…we've got the same card?" Yu observed, leaning forward on the table to look over them both.

"Didn't think there would be duplicates in the same deck," Minato agreed.

"Yes, indeed, this outcome is…most intriguing," Igor mused aloud. "Neither of your fates have changed since our first meetings, and now we have two wild cards, two of the number zero, two holders of infinite possibility…"

Minato and Yu exchanged another glance, coming to a silent understanding of the burdens that they each had borne in the past.

"So you too…?" Minato asked. "A journey?"

"Yeah," Yu replied.

Their exchange had earned a chuckle from Igor, who seemed pleased at the exchange. "Indeed, it seems like both of you have understand the reason why you were called here. Soon, we shall see whether two infinites would combine to make infinity in itself more bountiful, or would they clash and negate one another completely? By definition, this truly is an unresolvable conundrum. Nevertheless, I shall eagerly await the combinations of fate constructed by both your hands."

Minato did not find the idea of being thrown into another 'rough journey' particularly appealing, but at least the thought of having another wildcard as an ally was more or less reassuring. Yu, on the other hand, seemed much more receptive toward assuming his role.

"Nice to meet you in advance." Yu smiled and extended a hand toward Minato. "I suppose we'll be working together soon enough."

"If it would come to that...although I'd rather not be a part of it." Minato grabbed Yu's outstretched hand and shook it twice. The grey-haired young man was stronger than he'd expected.

Igor clapped his hands, pleased with the initiative. "Now that everything in the preliminary stage is in place, I'm afraid that it is time for us to part. We shall attend to the details later. And, Master Minato, I hope our next meeting will be voluntary…"

"I wouldn't count on it," Minato said, visibly eager to return to the real world.

"Oh, but I'm convinced otherwise…" Igor's parting words left a haunting ring as the room began to fade away.

Minato felt a welcoming sense of relief as his body reclined backward into a sleepy paralysis. The backrest of his seat had disappeared by then.

_Finally...time to wake up…_

Igor made a final remark just before Minato's consciousness mellowed in with the darkness. "Of all the bonds that the fools have made, both of you will likely receive the most support from one."

Minato saw another card on top of his mind.

"Please take care to not lose it. The priestess is the most patient and compassionate, but her nature is also the most dainty and fragile."

_The Priestess..._

_Fuuka._

**Okina City JR Station (4 years after the advent of Nyx)**

The Okina City JR station was a rundown place, heavily traveled but with only meagre funding for maintenance. Few travelers were on the platform at this odd hour, far too early for most commuters to be going home.

"Mister…wake up."

Among the out-of-season tourists and visiting relatives boarding the train to Inaba was Minato Arisato, peacefully sleeping on one of the hard plastic chair lined the side of the platform.

"Mister…your train's leaving."

An unfamiliar voice called Minato to his senses, but lingering sleepiness left him incapable of comprehending the message, at least until an announcement was made in static female voice.

"The following train is about to depart for Yasoinaba station."

As the realization dawned upon him, Minato shifted into a full-blown emergency mode. He bolted straight to his feet and dashed across the platform, only pausing long enough to say a hasty 'thank you' to the old man who had taken the time to wake him up.

Minato sprinted for the doors, blocking them with a suitcase, and squeezed through the gap—at the risk of having one furious railway operator at hand. He had an appointment to keep, and the next train, arriving roughly an hour later, would have made him inexcusably late.

"That …damned…long nose. Couldn't he…have chosen a better time?" Half huffing, half complaining, Minato tried to catch his breath. It had been a long while since he had to exert himself physically.

While his resume included an impressive internship at one of Kirijo's daughter companies, Minato had heard many…intimidating things about his new unyieldingly old fashioned employer. Disappearing from an interview entirely wasn't likely an excusable mistake.

Fighting the urge to cough once he had gotten inside, Minato turned to catch a glimpse of the mysterious benefactor who had woken him in the nick time. The old man was flashed him a smile and a wave good-bye. Minato gratefully waved back.

_The station conductor…?_

If so, then he didn't seem to be in his proper attire. The old man's suit and top hat seemed over-the-top fancy for a station conductor's uniform. Two golden watches gleamed from both his wrists. Minato had no more than a few seconds mull his identity over before the train skidded away from the station and began picking up speed.

"This train is departing for Yasoinaba terminal station."

Dragging along two large suitcases, Minato gradually made his way to a seat in the middle of the adjacent car, completely empty save for him. The lightly padded train seat wasn't the most comfortable, but even then a welcome change from the hard orange plastic seat of Okina station. Mistakenly sleeping on one had left a lingering strain on his back.

Minato reclined into his seat, adjusting his position in a futile attempt to find the one most comfortable. His empty gaze traversed field after field, passing by in a drab blur. The clear sky above and the flaming sea of autumn leaves in the distance gave the landscape a picturesque quality, but it also quickly grew bland. There was hardly anything remarkable to catch his attention—just a seemingly endless expanse of red and brown.

Boredom gave his mind the freedom to wander, but the recent visit to the velvet room had set an overwhelming negative tone.

Minato sighed. He knew it would be better to not let these distant worries eat away his peace of mind. At least, that was what he tried to convince himself.

_A rough journey…The two fools…_

The content of that dream disturbed him still.

_Igor…_

The man offered invaluable assistance in the face of calamity, but it was difficult to properly appreciate his appearance. Wherever Igor should appear, Minato could expect another calamity to closely follow. The realization just added another weight to the looming uncertainty in his mind. Worries already seemed to be piling up, even before he actually reached his destination.

In an attempt to leave behind all the ominous clouds, Minato put on Fuuka's homemade headphones, his favorite ever since he received them as a gift. More than five years had passed since then. Twice he had returned the headphones to their maker for repair and twice she had made them good as new. How she constructed and repaired the device from scratch still puzzled him. The jumble of wires and plastic inside seemed inaccessible to inexperienced eyes. Nevertheless, he touched the headphones with a hint of lingering affection.

_"No matter how far apart we are, it'll feel like we are together as long as you listen to them."_

He had her words perfectly preserved in his memory. A little corny, but he treasured them all the same. It had only been a few hours into his journey, and Minato already began missing all the familiar faces of his friends.

But he couldn't stay. After all that had happened, he didn't have the courage to.

_And so I ran away…_

Minato ended his train of thought in a slightly dejected tone. There was no need to be sugar-coating things. The other SEES member, with an emphasis on Fuuka, had done more than their share of that. Only he himself could afford to be harsh and unforgiving.

He was once Minato Arisato, the field leader of the SEES and humanity's last hope against Nyx. All that remained of him five years later was Minato Arisato, another run-of-the-mill college graduate, traveling far from home for just another run-of-the-mill job. Just a bachelor's degree in liberal arts wouldn't get him anywhere far in Japan's crowded job market, but he was already operating on a ticking clock. He wanted a taste of what an adult life would be like.

He recalled in exasperation the moment when the fate of the world was held in his hands. He had lost all the rights to remake that choice. He was escaping, to a place where the weight of responsibility wouldn't be so crushing.

_Turning a new page sounds easy_, he pondered wistfully and closed his eyes, _but sometimes you just miss all the story you left behind._

The empty train carriage allowed him the small luxury of cranking up the retro rock music to its full volume. Lost to music and reminiscence, Minato soon succumbed to another episode of shallow sleep. Only the distant sound of wheels and axles grinded on and on, whisking him onto another stormy road ahead.

**Inaba, TV World**

"The meat's ready. Someone set the plates," Hanamura Yosuke hollered. Facing the open flame, each of the generous cuts of T-bone produced appetizing sizzles.

"Sweet! I'm on it." Chie was the first to react, both ears perking up at the word 'meat.' The remaining investigation team turned toward the grill in apparent anticipation. Noses wiggled as gentle breezes carried along the hint of spices and steak sauce.

They set the grill in a grassy opening that served as their usual recreational area, where they were holding a barbeque party. A few years ago none of them would have believed that the TV world would become a place of rest and recreation. It seemed like a waste not to take advantage of the serene landscape that was revealed to them once the fog had lifted, especially with all the time they had now that the murder case was closed.

"Take Teddie's meat, ladies, it will be even more bearrific than Yosuke's!" Teddie shouted from another grill to Yosuke's side.

"Hanamura-kun, Teddie, are you two tired? Do you want to switch?" Yukiko moved quickly while laying out the utensils, but her real sight was set to the grill in anticipation.

"Thanks, but leave the grill to us, Amagi…Please," Yosuke hastily refused, realizing that it contained the thinly veiled possibility of disaster. "I thought we already had an agreement on this."

"…But that was only one time mistake."

"Yeah, but our warranty option doesn't cover the whole appliance exploding then being frozen solid. I still remember that customer support girl's face when I went asking for a replacement."

The grilling duties were left to the two who had worked in the Junes food court, after the girls were banned from standing in front of the grill, both for their own sake and the sake of anyone unfortunate enough to be within five meters. It seemed to be a reasonable distance after Chie and Yukiko made the appliance spew some sort of a fire ball. A blast of Bufudyne and their verdict on the ban was unanimously reached.

Rise soon faced the same ban after an unfortunate Kanji gobbled down her steak, covered in a special glaze of wasabi and tabasco. To this day, Kanji refused to speak of the incident for trauma it had caused, although a few people claimed that his agonizing howl could be heard from the toilet all the way across the street.

"Naoto! Come down here!" With his unblinking gaze fixed on the grill, Kanji yelled across the field.

"Sorry, do you need me?" A little perplexed, Naoto looked up from the book her eyes had been glued to for the last half an hour.

"Food's ready!"

"Oh, I see. Thank you." Naoto inserted a bookmark between the pages and sprang to her feet, allowing herself to be drawn toward the source of the appetizing smell.

They tried to make this gathering at least a weekly routine, but exams and job searching had thrown their schedule out of whack. After the three senpai graduated from Yasogami High, synchronizing their schedules had became much more difficult.

"Anyone thinking of going to college this year?" Chie asked.

"I'm not sure. The inn is getting busier and we're pretty short-staffed, so I'm helping out full time," Yukiko said.

"Dunno, probably not me as well. Dad's been grilling me to help with Junes' management, so I won't be going anywhere for the time being. Probably will get some experience working here, then I'll decide about college."

"Darn…so now I'm the only one without clear road ahead." Chie's smile faltered for a second.

"Right, you're still waiting for the reply…Maybe Dojima-san will know something?" Yukiko suggested, diminishing some of her friend's tension.

"Don't think so. He probably wouldn't bother with recruiting…" came Chie's low-spirited reply. "I thought the police force is supposed to, you know, get things done quickly."

"The position of my secretary is open, if you're interested," Yosuke smirked.

"Yeah right, in your dreams, daddy's rich boy."

"…Chie." Yukiko's eyes widened as she nudged her friend. The topic was an especially sore one for Yosuke.

The incidents of the TV world murder case had laid bare all of their innermost weaknesses. While some did overcome their past traumas, they had made an implicit agreement to avoid mentioning them altogether.

"Ah! Just joking, just joking! Come on, don't be taking things this idiot say seriously." Flustered, Chie hastily tried to make amends. "…Well, yeah, sorry…"

"Nah, don't be…" Yosuke's smile was wiped away for a second, but it returned just as quickly. Two years was a long enough time for him to build some emotional resistance over these sore spots. "Come on, Satonaka, cheer up. There's going to be absolutely nothing left of you without that idiot smile on your face."

"…You know I could've kicked you for that, but I'm letting this one slide."

"Oh, seems I made the right choice to offer you that unlimited meat barbeque beforehand. Besides, if you don't get accepted, you're so going to work under this daddy's boy in the near future."

"Just you wait, I'll pass that application and get into the police force!"

"Good," Yosuke said, expertly transferring each slab of meat on the plates with a barbecue tong. "That's the Satonaka I know."

Simultaneously, Teddy finished serving up his portion of meat. "Oh, right, right, when will Rise-chan get here? Teddie is saving his best meats for when all the girls are here."

"Kujikawa should have been here…fifteen minutes ago," Naoto reported after quick glance at her watch. "But it wouldn't be too difficult to imagine some troubles arising with her supplementary lessons. She might've contacted Tatsumi-kun…Hmm?"

It was only then that the rest of group noticed that Kanji had also been missing from the recent flow of the conversation.

"Sorry, did I miss something?" Kanji jogged up to the party. The reason for his disappearance was apparent on his plate.

"Ahh, Kanji, don't hog all the meat for yourself!" Chie protested, although the person in question seemed to receive it with deaf ears.

"Well, you senpai just seem to be caught up in your talk," Kanji said, clearly unremorseful. "I already put the rest on the plates over there."

"That's an…impressive amount of protein." Naoto's composed expression twitched slightly after a glance at all the meat, lard, and sauces that formed a massive dome on Kanji's plate. "Just be careful not to upset your stomach."

"Yosuke, why don't you be a good host and fetch some more." Chie grumbled, annoyed by the sudden lack of meat.

"Yeah, I'll run back up to get some meat later…but, Kanji,I know I told you to eat all you want, but don't bankrupt our food court."

"Got it…I'll limit myself to just three servings then." Kanji answered, visibly disappointed.

"Just how much are planning to eat exactly…" Yosuke grimaced.

"Yeah, it'll be b~eary bad, if Teddie has to find work somewhere else. All the ladies would be so heart-broken."

"You're joking. Kids aside, the ladies would be happy to see this bear swatted off their backs," Yosuke said, shooting a weary glance at Teddie.

"What?! Teddie is a gentleman, so he would never be a bother to the ladies," he protested. "Come on, girls. You gotta support Teddie. Tell them Teddie's not a bother."

"So we are back to this again?" Chie said, apparently not in the mood to answer.

"Don't worry, Teddie, you're not a bother," Yukiko reassured, unknowingly to an opposite effect. "You're just a little annoying from time to time…Well, just a little bit."

Naoto apparently shared the same thought. "I'd have to agree, judging from the fact that there were groups of women who deliberately chose to walk through different aisles to avoid him."

"And Yukiko's just trying to be polite, by the way," Chie added.

"This can't be! Is this how the girls really think of Teddie? I'm devastated." Wearing a theatrically hurt expression, Teddie retreated.

"Still, to be perfectly fair, it is undeniable that there are also certain groups of middle-aged housewives who clearly enjoyed his advances," Naoto added.

"But Teddie won't give up!" Completely ignoring Naoto's added clause, Teddie recovered and exclaimed with the same boundless optimism. "Teddie will try double hard so all the ladies fall for him!"

"Teddie, I'll be forced to deduct your pay if you're going to harass the customers again," Yosuke sighed. He almost had to resort to this measure too many times than he cared to count. "Hmm? Is that. . . ."

"Yes, looks like Kujikawa's here," Naoto confirmed, noticing the sound of footsteps that approached the clearing.

"Hi, everyone…I'm beat" From the direction of greeting came Rise, who had just emerged into the opening. She tossed her drenched umbrella to the side and quickly collapsed onto the grassy field. "At least, it's sunny in here…"

"Hi, Rise-chan, wanna have some meat?" Finishing up the second batch, Teddie expertly flipped up another piece onto a plate, grilled to the perfect juicy pink. This time he chose to divide up the equal portion for each plate to prevent Kanji from lumbering in for a second helping.

"Maybe later, Teddie. I just need to rest my brain for now," Rise replied. Resting on her head on a backpack like a pillow, she seemed to ready to fall asleep any second. "God, I hate biology! It's not like we're going to be breeding pea plants after we graduate."

"It probably is better to just be grateful that you can at least take the supplementary lessons, instead of taking another year to graduate." Naoto said, taking a seat besides Rise.

"Oh, my, that sounds serious. Are you going to be alright?" Yukiko asked.

"Thanks for worrying, Yukiko-senpai. I think I'll pass the supplementary course…but it's hard to stay after for four hours of Kashiwagi's lecture…" Rise mumbled, both eyes closed and her expression blank. "Now I'll get enjoy the rest of my break."

"But, actually, second semester starts next Monday so…"

"NO! Don't say it! Let me enjoy this time at least!" Rise desperately interrupted Naoto, visibly distraught from of the idea of having only a few days of precious rest remaining. "You're one to talk, Naoto…Not that the straight-A type like you has to lump yourself with flunking people like us."

"I did offer to help you study once, remember? I don't mind offering it again."

"Please do this time…I was so so wrong to not study with you..." came Rise's fragmented reply.

"What about you Kanji-kun?" Yukiko asked, slightly curious that Kanji had managed to pass the last exam where Rise had failed.

"The exam? I think I'm okay after Naoto helped me…"

"Yes, I believe so." Naoto nodded in agreement. "He still is teetering in dangerous territory, but his average is now above failing. I'd say there are definitely improvements…albeit it's only marginal."

It was then that Chie returned with a plate of meat, a huge pile comparable to Kanji's. "I can't let an underclassman defeat me now, can I?"

"Impressive, as expected of Satonaka, the carnivore who abandoned womanhood—"

_Thwack!_

Yosuke could barely finish his last word before he was rudely interrupted by a roundhouse kick. Apparently, Chie's constant training kept her Kung Fu skill in top shape.

"That crossed the line, you jerk."

"Snk…Bwahahahahaha!" Only Yukiko seemed to burst into an uncontrolled fit of laughter.

"Alright that's enough, you hyena. It's not even that funny." Chie had a wry expression on her face as she tried in vain to calm Yukiko down.

"No that's…just…so funny."

"But still, nothin' wrong with it, right?" Kanji chewed hard and washed the meat down with a can of soft drink. He had nearly demolished half the plate at that point. "All the nutrition a man needs is in the meat."

"Well, we ordinary males do have simple taste buds," Yosuke agreed. "Anything meaty, fatty, or salty equals a good enough meal."

"Ah, I can relate to that!" Chie enthusiastically chimed in.

"You three…" Naoto shook her head in resignation. "…Just please try not to contract a life style disease when you hit thirty."

"Oh, right! Big news!" Breaking the flow of conversation, Rise suddenly sprang up from the ground. "We're getting a new teacher!"

"This time of the year?" Kanji asked, but apparently didn't seem interested.

"I'm sure of it. I saw him going into the principal's office. He looks young, but a little sickly…Hmm, why is it now? They don't look the same, but for some reason I think he reminded me of Narukami-senpai…"

"But still…speaking of him, it's been a while," Yosuke mumbled. Just the mere mention of Narukami Yu often sent the investigation team into a brief episode of reminiscence. It had been more than a year since the entire team had last been fully assembled.

"Hard to believe that it's already been two years, isn't it?" Yukiko let out a soft sigh. "A lot of things have changed since then and a lot of things will be still be changing…It's a little sad."

"All of a sudden we just aren't high school students anymore. Come to think of it, it looks like adult life is just going to be a boring uphill road, compared to that time with the investigation team," Yosuke complained, albeit in a lighthearted tone. He was well aware that his future employment prospects were already much better than most of his Inaba peers. "I guess the only one continuing the tradition would be Naoto."

"Yes, I suppose so," Naoto contemplated. "But unlike the Adachi Tohru case, most crime investigations tend to be resolved through lab work and paperwork. I am quite certain that is different from what you have in mind."

"Speaking of sensei, did he tell you when he would be back, Yuki-chan?" Teddie asked.

"He's been awfully busy this year." Yukiko's smile widened. "I guess that's normal with him aiming for medical school, but he's still planning to come here during the summer."

"Sensei's going to be back? Sweet!"

"Well…I mean, if everything goes right."

"By then we'll all be sure to give you two plenty of space inside the TV then, hmm?" Chie said with a Cheshire grin.

"Indeed, just a friendly reminder that not all of us enjoy being treated to an unexpected scene of romance," Naoto chimed in with a small chuckle. Yukiko and Yu's relationship had at that point been turned into the group's topic of choice in teasing the pair.

"Oh...Sorry…" Yukiko mumbled meekly, her cheeks glowing crimson.

Her blushing face triggered a chain reaction of laughter. This was the way that their investigation team was meant to be, enjoying the randomly flowing topics of conversation and carefree laughter.

_Nothing will ever change. I'm sure of it._ A sliver of thought took a comfortable lodging in Yukiko's mind.

Before long, she too joined in with the laughter.

**Amagi Inn, Inaba**

The rain grew heavier that night, blowing torrents of wind and water droplets and battering the Amagi Inn. Leaves and mud soon clogged the drainage system and left a growing pool of murky water on the street. Flooding seemed inevitable should the rain continue much longer, a further complication for an already sparse tourist season.

Amidst the dreary scene of rainfall, a creature emerged. Unfamiliar habitat left it dazed and confused, but not for long. Soon, it would recover, regain strength, and begin moving. Until then, attracting undue attention would be most unwise. For a long time, it stood at the edge of the sidewalk, unperturbed by the unforgiving weather, but the light and warmth inside the inn was still a tempting thought.

* * *

"Hello, thank you for calling the Amagi Inn. How can I…Oh! Yuki-chan…Yuki-chan…" The inn attendant carried the phone to Yukiko with a grin. "It's the boyfriend."

"Oh…thank you!" Yukiko promptly left the flowers she was arranging and took the phone, her body tense with anticipation. This was one call she wouldn't delay. "Yu-kun, is that you?"

"Hello…" Yu trailed off after the greeting. "I guess it's been…well, a while since the last time I called."

"It's good to hear from you," Yukiko relaxed at the sound of his voice. It had been too long since she last heard it.

"Sorry I've been so busy lately…Actually, I also don't have a lot of time today. Just that, I have a bad feeling…" Yuu trailed off again. He just couldn't find an easy way to explain the idea of velvet room and Igor's prophecy to the others. "I had a dream…Okay, now I'm just sounding crazy."

"Of course not, I'm just happy that you're concerned about us…about me." Yukiko's reply too came slightly fragmented. The long duration that they spent without one another contributed to some initial awkwardness, but the familiarity was gradually returning.

"Just doing my boyfriend's duty. It might just be a gut feeling. Might not even be real, but I just want you to be a little more careful in that world."

"I think everything seems fine though, not like the mist are returning or anything like that…" Yukiko looked up as she pondered. She could hear Yu breathing out in relief over the phone. "We just had a barbecue party there today. I wanted to practice making you some when you got back, but Hanamura-kun didn't let me. That was really unfortunate."

"I'm sure Yosuke had his reasons." Yu had to stifle a laugh as he replied. While Yukiko's journey toward becoming a decent chef was progressing along, it still couldn't quite eliminate her unfortunate tendency to cause any flammable ingredients to spontaneously combust.

"And you know we were just talking about you today. Teddie and Rise-chan were so excited and Hanamura-kun was talking about taking you on a hike. Oh, we also met Nanako-chan the other days. She has really grown up a lot and…and…"

"Yukiko…?"

"Yu-kun…" Yukiko's voice died down to a nearly whisper. She had always grown meek whenever they broached this subject, mainly in fear that his reply would change or that anything should come up to prevent his return. "We'll be…seeing you in Inaba soon, right?"

"I'll be there, definitely. It's just going to be a week or two." Yu sensed her worry but there wasn't much he could do. Last year, he did actually renege on his promise to return in pursuit of an academic life abroad. He was determined not to repeat that mistake. "I just have a few more exams, then I'll catch the first plane I can to Japan and board the train to Inaba. I'll see you in just a few weeks."

"You know …sometimes, I just think that it would be better if we just stayed together…here in Inaba." A spell of loneliness had overtaken Yukiko's conscious mind. Words slipped out before she could stop herself, a slip of the tongue that she hadn't meant for him to hear.

"Me too…" The smile on Yu's face turned a little sour.

It had taken all his willpower to not give in to the temptation and catch the first train to Inaba as soon as he finished high school. With Yukiko waiting, the decision to go for college had been much more difficult for him to make than most.

Only one thought kept his motivation alive: he wished only the best for her.

He could've stayed in Inaba for good, but the question of what to come next haunted him. What if they married? What if they had a child? Could he make her happy with a meagre salary from a thankless grunt job that wouldn't require a college degree? What would her family think of him then?

All the questions and doubts revolved endlessly in Yu's mind. She had chosen to stay in Inaba as the Amagi Inn's heiress. He had chosen to go elsewhere, to become someone who could look Yukiko and her family in the eyes. For the respective paths they had chosen, they both had to make sacrifices.

The awkwardness lingered, and the conversation flow was broken temporarily, thus the reason why they would normally make conscious efforts to avoid the topic. After a while, Yukiko was the first to break the spell and hastily added.

"S-Sorry, look at me running my mouth! I didn't mean to make you feel bad about that..." Yukiko clutched the phone with both hands, pressing the device closer to her face. She just wanted to be closer to him. Talking on the phone hardly fulfilled this need. "…Besides, I'm sure the charm will keep you safe until you're back."

"Keeping me safe in your stead." Yu's smile widened as he reached into his pocket. The charm was still there, tucked into a safe compartment in his wallet. "And keeping you safe as well, I hope?"

"…I know it does." Likewise, Yukiko reached for hers. Before Yu left for the city, he had given her an identical charm.

_So we'll both be safe_, he said back then, tucking the charm into her hand before boarding the train.

"Well, the charm's good, but just if anything happens, call me. I'll fly right back, if I have to…." Yu paused. Expressing thoughts into words was never his forte, but he was willing to make an effort for her sake. "And thanks…for waiting for me, I mean."

"Don't worry. Just stay safe and come back to us."

"I will…Anyway, I need to get into the lab now. I'll have to turn my phone off."

"Me too, I think a guest is coming in…" Yukiko's smile was wiped off her face. She wanted to talk with him more. They both had many things to say, to give their loved one a glimpse into their daily life. The few minutes they could spare was hardly enough.

Yukiko took a sharp intake of breath to temper her disappointment. She was more or less used to this feeling after the twelve months that he'd been absent from her life. She convinced herself that a few more weeks would pass in the blink of an eye.

If anything, it would make their reunion all the sweeter.

* * *

The creature took time to gather enough confidence in its disguise, but eventually it chose to boldly stride into the Amagi inn. It looked like a human and could articulate like one. There was no reason to suspect that anyone could call its ruse.

With a polite smile, it approached the nearest inn attendant, a young woman clad in a bright pink kimono, and waited as she hastily said a few final words into the phone. It flicked droplets of water from two golden wristwatches and removed the drenched top hat for greeting as she repeatedly apologized for missing his arrival.

"Excuse me, ma'am, do you happen to have a room available?"

A toothy smile stretched the wrinkles on the creature's face, the type that parents reserved for their children, but the hungry glint made it seem more like it had spotted a hearty meal.

The creature's lips made a soft hungry smack.

A little too skinny, but the succulent youthfulness would make up for any shortcoming.

Tonight would be a feast.


	2. Where the SEES Remained

**Chapter 2: From Where the SEES Remained **

**Yasogami High School, Principal Office **

_Remember, put on a smile and be nice_

A sleek ballpoint pen glided over the documents scattered over the maple wood table. Trails of black ink covered a small corner of each before the whole pile was collected, straightened, and inserted into the cabinet for safe-keeping. "Now, we are done with the formalities…"

"Thank you."Minato twisted his lips into the usual PR smile, just a tug at the corner, not too wide to make the expression insincere.

"You're awfully young to be applying for a teaching position, but a new face around here is always a blessing. Let me be the first to welcome you…" The old man on the other side of the table raised his shriveled right hand to meet with Minato's. "Welcome to Yasogami High, Arisato-sensei."

"I'm glad to be part of the faculty."

Minato felt callous bumps inside the principal's palm, not very surprising.

Takenaka Gin, even the man's name oozed an air of the older generation.

His clothing looked traditional as well as his footwear with wooden sole. He seemed passable for someone who had just walked out of the Meiji era.

Even after the passing years took away much of his physical strength, telltale signs remained that he once had an imposing physique. It wouldn't seem strange that a man like him spent days after days swinging a sword in a dojo, the sort of talent that might have gone to waste with his current occupation.

"It is a fine thing someone's willing to teach philosophy here. Certainly. Certainly. Not the easiest thing to find new teacher around this here. The position's been vacant after Mr. Morooka…"

Minato raised an eyebrow as the principal stopped to search for more appropriate words.

"…left us on a sudden term…We were making do on substitutes."

"Yes, I can imagine." The small slip in the principal's demeanor had caught Minato's curiosity, but prying was too much trouble than it was worth.

"Since Ms. Kashiwagi who was asked to show you around the school is proctoring an exam at the moment, please follow me." With some grunts and great effort, the principal painstakingly extracted himself from the armchair. "Blasted old hip…"

Minato rose from his seat to come to the old man's aid, but a sharp glare stopped him in his track. The message was clear, _I'm old but I don't need help._ Pride was one thing that even old age couldn't take away from the old principal Takenaka. It took three more effort to get him straightened up.

"Apology about the wait, Arisato-sensei. "

"Oh, I don't mind." Feeling an air of awkwardness intruding, Minato tried to change the topic as they were strolling down the hallway. "So there is an exam going on? I thought we still have a few days of midterm break left."

"Supplementary exams," the principal elaborated. "Things a bad enough without having more kids flunked out of school."

"Oh, I s-"

Minato bit down in the middle of his sentence to resist the involuntary muscular contraction of a sudden coughing fit. He had to get that handkerchief in hand first. Giving his new employer a faceful of microbes seemed to be a surefire way to make lasting negative impression.

"Bless you. Bless you. I'll introduce you to a good friend of mine. He sell those herbs and roots that whisk your cold away."

"It's more of a chronic thing…I've always been more susceptible to cold than most." Minato replied once the fit subsided. "I'll get a physical checkup soon."

"Hmph, any good man can't never trust those big hospital. Their people squeeze you dry, not an ounce of doctor integrity, just whether you'll pay by cash or by card. Unfortunate. Unfortunate."

"Well, it's just all the capitalist thing nowadays. A lot of things are changing, and most not for the better."

"Well said. Well said. No more, pride, honor, and anything that shaped our youth into a man, just money, money, and more of those blasted rich kids not obeying the rules."

Despite his reply, Minato's smile did became a little strained. Should his life be on the line, he would rather leave it in the hand of someone with proper medical certificate and complete set of hi-tech medical equipment. A backwater town witch doctor would be promptly placed at the bottom of his list.

Still, he knew better than to voice the opinion. There was no point in sparking an unnecessary debate.

'Keep life simple and keep people happy' was his simple motto, the secret of the man who had made and maintained so many social links in the span of a single year. It had served him well enough through the high-school life.

Everyone always have things that they wanted to hear, and Minato was keen in knowing exactly that. Perhaps, it was a brownoser's way of success, but he deemed it a fair game to be softening people up a little. The world was a hard enough place to live in.

Principal Takenaka shook his head as he eyed the town beyond the windows. "Things have changed after all those new people moved into Inaba, bringing those things that all don't belong here."

…_And thus makes a perfect stage for a clash of between the tradition and the modern,_ Minato thought somberly. The thought piqued a little of his interest and was jotted down in his mental notepad. The topic could be saved for some interesting conversation later

"I personally thank you for coming out here even though the pay is not much, Arisato-sensei. Inaba might not have a lot, but good fresh air is one thing we have in plenty. You'll look much healthier in a few days, I guarantee it."

"That's great. I might even be strong enough to go without my meds in a few days," Minato quickly covered his insincerity with an enthusiastic nod.

There was no helping his 'zombified' looks as Junpei had once put it. Pale complexion and lean build gave him a physically weak impression, the set of traits which grew even more evident in the past few years. He didn't exactly expect that any fresh mountain air to be able to improve it for that matter.

"And we're here," Principal Takenaka came to a stop before an empty classroom. "You will be charge of this classroom for the rest of the semester."

Minato's glance darted around, taking note of the sign that read "1-B" over the doorway. The room appeared simple enough, unpolished wooden floor, a worn out blackboard, and three rows of seat. It didn't come equipped with all the electrical appliances, but he wouldn't need any to teach the words of boring old Plato and Kant and the all other dead white men.

"Very well then, Arisato-sensei, do keep yourself dry. I'll need you to be here next Monday, seven AM. No excuse for being late."

Minato nodded and accompanied the principal as he hobbled back to his office. The pitter patter of raindrop could be heard in the distance.

…_So I guess he's not a social link… _

Minato's PR smile faltered upon the realization that since a while back he had been screening for the holders of social links, unconsciously but screening all the same. The realization made him heaved a heavy sigh. A part of him already seemed to have accepted and was preparing for Igor's so-called journey.

"That's a long sigh. Anything not to your liking?"

"Something else. I got a lot my mind," Minato replied. Following along the flow, he ended up saying more than he had intended. "Someone said I might have just gotten too used to running away from a mistake."

"Arisato-sensei, back in my days, we don't complain and tackle troubles head on. Young people like you still haven't live long enough to know what it's like to be carrying the world on your shoulders."

"Actually, sir, I do believe otherwise." Minato withheld a silent chuckle and responded to the principal's chiding with a wry grin. Retorting might not be the best thing to do, but this was one comment that he couldn't let slide. "I actually have a pretty good idea how it feels to be carrying the world upon my shoulders."

He had the first-hand experience as the savior of mankind.

_The weight of the world was far heavier that you could imagine…_

**Yasogami High School **

Monday came with an unusual swiftness for Minato, who had spent the weekend in a daze, settling into his new rented place.

"All rise! Bow!"

Minato swallow a nervous gulp as all eyes in the classroom converged upon him. Standing before the blackboard gave a strange feeling. It wasn't that long ago when he was in one of those seats looking up to the teacher with disinterest.

"Arisato Minato, I'm going to be your homeroom teacher this year," Minato announced after loudly clearing his throat. "Sorry in advance about my voice. I'm not in my best of health as you can see. Raise your hand or just do something to catch my attention when I start to mumble. Now, let's not waste any time and get started."

Minato deliberately ignored the murmurs and the buzzes of activities, most likely about his young age or sickly look. He found this compromise to be much more effective than simply locking the classroom in a draconian grip.

"Akazawa…Akita."

Without waiting for the buzz to die down, Minato started checking names off the class roster. Students whispered to their neighbors as he crossed each name off the list, absentmindedly carrying on the task until a particular name stumbled him.

"Amada…?"

Minato scanned the classroom during the short pause.

"Here."

In a chair toward the back of the class seated a boy with shaggy brown hair and a warm smile. Although he had outgrown his childhood, his face still carried enough resemblances for nostalgia. Minato double-checked a particular name in the upper section of the class roster.

There hadn't been a mistake.

Enrolled in Yasogami High class '1-B' was one of his good friend and a member of the SEES.

Ken Amada.

**Yasogami High (15.50 PM)**

Exactly three second after the afternoon bell rang and the last lesson was over, Ken Amada was called upon to help with school related business. Other students gave him the looks of condolence, but Ken had a knowing smile as he followed Minato out of the classroom.

"It's a nice surprise to see you here," Ken began. "It's been quite a while, hasn't it?"

"Nearly a year, thanks for ruining my short attempt at self-isolation from all the persona matters." Minato snapped in reply. "By the way, you don't look surprise, Amada."

"Okay, you got me there…Still, it was Ken before, wasn't it?" The youth smiled, unfazed by Minato's apparent annoyance.

"I'd thought you would prefer to be addressed more formally, now that you aren't a kid," Minato replied. "Weren't you the one dying to grow up back then?"

"Unlike most of your student, I'm an already independent adult now, mind you…if you refers to the pays from doing our extermination routine as a proper job that cover rents and groceries." Ken protested, not too happy about being reminded of his childhood.

"Speaking as your teacher, you're still a minor until graduation. Please do me a favor and address me another accordingly then, _Mr. Amada_." Minato said, making a point on emphasizing Ken's last name for a sense of distance.

"…You sure have fitted into your teaching role quickly," Ken shrugged and quickened his walking pace.

"I made an effort to," Minato said and quickened his pace to match Ken.

An uncomfortable silence followed their exchange. The new reality of their status had just began to set in. Minato did operate as the field leader during their time in the SEES, but their respect for one another was mutual. In the school, Ken found it strange to be start giving Minato the type of respect that befitted their current position.

"Do follow me please, '_sensei_.' The second floor of the practice should be a good place to sort out our _issues_. It's still too early in the semester for clubs."

The practice building was fairly devoid of the students after school, saved for a few that lingered about in the first floor. All was quiet once they had slipped into the empty drama room on the second floor. The room was picked clean prior to the semester break and all the chairs were piled on one side.

"Seeing this'll be a long talk, let's take a seat." Minato walked to the cluttered of classroom furniture and pulled out two chairs from the pile. "What's your plan here, Amada? Actually, screw that question. SEES people don't get transferred here and there just for cultural exposure."

"You think so? Eliminating new shadows is as good a way as any to get exposure to new perspective in life, maybe almost as life-enriching as this teaching thing you're doing" Ken said as he took the seat in front of Minato. "Doesn't seems like you're too eager to see us, despite that everyone is dying to see you return."

"I don't think so," Minato had his brows knitted together in displeasure. "I put those days fighting shadows behind me. My notice of retirement is there in Kirijo-senpai's office."

"Kirijo-senpai wouldn't send you down here, if she really accepted your letter of retirement. Of all the places, why else would she secure a teaching job for you down here right next to a possible lair of shadows?"

Minato grumbled in reply. He had to concede to Ken's point. It did seem strange that the Mitsuru's job recommendation just happened to be this teaching position out in the middle of nowhere, considering all the resources at the Kirijo Group's disposal. The thought of being machinated at hands of the Kirijo Group sparked a small annoyance, but it was quickly extinguished.

_Patience…Patience…_

Minato took several meditative breaths. Thinking back, lashing out at Ken all of a sudden was a childish thing to do. Allowing his real irritable self to take-over would only leave him with one enemy too many. There would be plenty of opportunities for finger-pointing later.

Minato cleared his throat and began in a lighter tone of voice, not entirely honest but it did make him more pleasant to deal with. "Sorry about earlier…it's been a hectic time, and I'm not in my best mood."

"Of course," Ken smiled, pleasantly surprised.

"Also, change of plan, let's do away with the formality. Being called sensei is giving me a strange vibe."

"What happened to staying professional?" Seeing that the earlier tension had more or less dissolve, Ken too began to smile.

"Your sensei is just not that uptight when there's no one around to report him for misdemeanor." Minato chewed on his lower lips to get rid of the remaining residue of anger. As always, friendly was the best way to approach. "So? What's the deal this time? I'm not going to join you there in the front line. Fighting shadows is big no-no now. Doctor's order. Okay, but I can lend you an extra brain at least."

"That will make a good start," Ken nodded expectantly, relieved that the conversation was going more smoothly. "Would it be too much to hope for more than your brain on our side? A few persona or two perhaps?"

"Being too greedy isn't a good strategy for haggling, you know?" Minato chuckled at Ken's sincere hopeful look, this time genuine. "You might end up walking home without even my brain."

"A harsh negotiator as always," Ken shook his head, but the hard feelings had otherwise disappeared. "Well, I've got a plenty of time to do the convincing. We got a long term investigation planned, so I'm enrolled here for the time being. Just one upside of not having a family."

Minato returned Ken a bitter smile. The hidden war between the shadows and persona-users had left both of them orphaned, bearing the same scar, so to say. Oddly, he felt more at ease with the idea of helping out, but indirect support was where he drew the line.

"Tell me the story, but do skip the beginning. I'm pretty sure it's going start something like 'Once upon a time, a lucky Kirijo informant tips you guys off about an incident of mysterious disappearance'. Then a few among our team of persona users were dispatched to investigate."

"It's a case of mysterious murder this time, but not far off the mark," Ken corrected. "The telephone murder case took place a couple of years ago, but the incident slipped through our radar, thanks to some copy-cat murders and possibly isolated cases of disappearance slash kidnapping. The fact that Inaba is located in God-knows-where countryside also didn't help."

"That's a weird-ass name for a murder case."

"Probably have something to do with how the victims were found," Ken said. "They were hanged on the telephone pole, you see, upside down and all wrapped up. Cause of death had been heart failures, no visible injury and no toxin was discovered after autopsy. All deaths occurred during the night with heavy fog. How's that for your story."

"Good enough for a horror film_. _Eight out of ten_…_" Minato commented dryly. "So you're finding the shadow culprit for the case?"

"The culprit is already behind bars…well, was behind bars. He's a persona user." Ken quickly amended. Nothing too surprising, murders committed using personas wouldn't leave behind the physical evidence to convict on murder charges. "Quite a bad joke that the only new persona user we've located turns out to be a murderer."

"Fortune often turns out to be one mean bitch, doesn't she?"

"She does, but what's interesting is a little something from his confession, after we peeled away all the ramblings…" Ken looked up in thought, recalling his earlier conversation with Mitsuru. "It's got interesting regarding his M.O. Oh, I'm sorry, I meant to say-"

"Modus Operandi, method of operation" Minato waved off Ken's explanation. "Go on."

Ken smiled sheepishly. He didn't have to dumb down the term for Minato. "Well, you heard what the crime scene is like. Impossible. When we pressed for details, he just laughed, saying he didn't know…well, 'didn't know shit' about how the victims became telephone-pole Houdinis. He used to be a model prisoner, although I didn't see all that much cooperation after he was released into our custody. He said he only pushed the victims in, and _they_ did the rest of the job when the fog comes down, all the killing and hanging and stuff."

"They?" Minato gave Ken a questioning glance.

"We're assuming shadows. That was the most we've got out of him. His confession suggests that there is at least a place in Inaba where shadows are hiding or at least periodically gather. I'm looking more into that."

"Maybe, it's just one crazy guy ranting. Isn't that the cover story, anyway?" Minato asked.

Most of the time that was the fate in store for the people who had abused their persona power. Getting an indefinite stay in Kirijo Psychiatric Specialist Center with complementary straightjacket.

"Then how are you going explain that _impossible _murder. Either way, if this happens to be true, I'll have to ask for Akihiko-senpai and Iori-senpai and maybe even the rest of the team…" Ken looked down uncomfortably. Going solo into a den of shadow was a bad idea.

"The SEES is still understaffed, I take it?" Minato asked, not that he didn't already know the answer.

"When did we ever get close to having enough people…?" Ken's grumblingly replied.

The Kirijo Group, with Mitsuru at its head, might have a horde of informants and analysts ready to sift through any incident of mysterious murder/disappearance, but at the end of the day it was the few persona-users who had to be sent into the field.

Their scope of investigation covered the entire Japan, an impossibly large area to be thoroughly patrolled by five persona-users (six counting Koromaru who was always free but couldn't be counted on for independent investigation). Most of the time, it boiled down to a lucky guess, hoping that the alarm hadn't been set off by some overly-zealous analyst, stuck in the limbo of overtime work.

Unfortunately, that was how the investigation turned out most of the time.

Back then, the SEES had been hopeful. Had they managed to discover persona-users as easily as they did back in the days, the SEES would already have been an organization of many dozens. Instead, they shrank, having a lost some to permanent desk jobs, ailing love one…

_And death_…Minato lightly massaged the bridge of his nose as a particular memory rose like a specter, one that he rather kept buried.

"It's strange, isn't it?" Ken continued after a pause. "We've got a bunch of us coming together before The Fall, then nothing, no one else, not even a prospect in years. Statistically, it doesn't make sense…"

"There are always weird things out there, I suppose…" Minato leaned back on the chair. The gears in his brain churned out another train of thought. "Then again, it might've made more sense to tackle without using your data and numbers, if we think of persona awakening more as a reaction."

"To the shadows' presence…?" Ken maintained a grim look as he extrapolated.

Minato smiled. Ken would make a good student. "Think immune system. Human body doesn't need to produce antibodies without the presence of viruses. If a persona awakening is an immune response to shadows' attack, the development of persona would be rare or nonexistent in areas without high shadow activities. If shadows are holed up in in their lair, few cases of direct contacts would mean few cases of awakening."

"So you're saying that unless there are more incidents of attack, there won't be any more persona user." Ken said. His eyes narrowed at the possibility, unpleasant to say the least.

"Just a guess, or there might other who had already awakened from that…prior incident you talked about. Some just want an ordinary life. They are the people who convinced themselves that the shadows are nightmares and their power a fantasy. It isn't easy recruiting persona user."

"…It isn't. Apparently, one had just turned me down a few minutes ago." Ken made an accusing glanced at Minato. "Either way, we're going to keep the field leader position open. A change of heart, perhaps."

"Then I hope you're prepared for a long wait." Minato slid down the backrest and shook his head.

"As long as it would take, we've already gotten used to having our hope dashed while waiting for our ever-absent leader. Silver-lining, you know?" Ken couldn't resist taking a jab. No matter what he had said, Ken Amada did not take disappointment well

"Very funny. You were a lot cuter when you were a kid. Where did you get that smart-ass mouth from?"

"I learnt it from you, mostly, when you weren't trying to become a gloomy wreck of teacher. Back in those days before she-"

Ken bit his sentence in half, but the damage was done. Awkwardness washed in like a tide. Ken had stepped one of Minato's landmines, something that was never meant to be said, and the last few years had propped up many new ones.

"Sorry, shouldn't have brought that up."

"It's fine," Minato blinked twice and moved on. At times like this, it was easier to pretend that he heard nothing. The topic did led to a certain train of thought, however. "Just one question…who else do you have in your team?"

"I think you should already know who," Ken showed a flash of rage at Minato's intentional obliviousness. "There aren't too many people who cares enough to follow you all the way to Inaba."

"You're right. I suppose I do know." Minato heaved a sigh. Ken had read him through.

He was ashamed for having to use such a roundabout method to start a talk about Fuuka. The thought of her filled his brain with two conflicting emotions. On one side was the longing to meet and on the other was hesitation. She had sacrificed so much and, yet, he was still running away.

"Is she doing well? After the transfer to the hospital and everything, I mean…"

"Wouldn't it be better just to go and see her for yourself? You have to be going there anyway, right? Doctor's order."

"Forget the doctor. He knows better than to come around messing with my love life…It's just that both Fuuka and I need time to work this out," Minato heaved a long sigh. There was much to consider before he could actually muster the courage for a face-to-face meeting.

Uncomfortable silence grew for several moments longer until Minato looked out of the window and announced. "Seems like it's getting late."

"Yeah…. Pack up then?" Ken heaved a sigh, giving up, but only for the time being. "You know, we've already been planning a small party for your return. We thought a change of pace and such would change your mind. Looks like it's all a waste now."

"Put that party on indefinite hold…You won't be getting to it any time soon." Minato put down a hand and ruffled Ken's hair as they exited the drama room. The smaller gap between their heights made the gesture a little awkward. In his first year of high school, Ken had already grown up to match Minato's height.

"Please cut that own," Ken made a fiery scowl and pushed Minato's hand away. Then or now, he still hated being treated like a child. "Just for how long are you going insist on doing this?"

"Habits die hard…and I wasn't exactly trying to treat you like a child," Minato replied as they walked down the corridor. "After all, Ken, you already are mature."

"That's obviously flattery."

"That actually was my honest compliment," Minato chuckled and gave Ken a pat on the shoulder instead. "At least, you're more mature than I am. Way more. You healed. You got right back up, shouldering all those damn thing that needed to be shouldered. I couldn't…not any more. The pain is too much."

Ken remained silent as Minato ended in a self-deriding note and disappeared along the corridor. He had thought of arguing, but Minato's pained look silent him. Any attempt to push through would result in Minato shutting himself down. These topics were taboo.

Still, Ken did understand one thing. That final offhanded comment might have been the most honest thing that Minato said for the entire afternoon.

The fights they'd been through left horrible scars, more on Minato than any of them. His wound was deep and had barely began to heal. All the poking and prodding might slow the healing process

The bottomline was that the less-than-productive banter with Minato had consumed his entire afternoon. Ken realized the need to reschedule his investigation after emerging into a deserted school building. Anyone with valuable information was probably chilling at home with local TV channels and a can of Coke or blazing through the required reading for the next lesson.

Ken sighed and retrieved his iPhone. He didn't actually have to plan his next step in the school building, but it would only be fair to get something done after wasting an afternoon. Some sense of progress before returning home would make him sleep a little better tonight.

He had downloaded four dossiers the last morning (which no doubt were compiled by several Kirijo investigators in weeks of overtime). Three were third year students at Yasogami High, and one had graduated as of last year.

_The inn manager, the delinquent, the idol, and the detective…_

They appeared to have nothing in common, but that was only when scratching the surface. All four had been victims of mysterious disappearances, which the media were quick to dismiss as ordinary running-away-from-home case. All the serial-murdering made better front page news, especially after the four in question had returned safe and sound.

The Kirijo Group was more on the thorough side. Their better success was attributed to the magic called insane number crunching, massive amount of raw data plugged into graphs and spreadsheets for unnatural patterns.

Ken only understood less than fifty-percent all of the blah-blah bullshit from the statisticians with enough touch of insanity to run the numbers of murders and disappearances against innocent things weather forecast, local stores' promotions, and news reports (To be fair, when shadows' activities relies on crazier things like moon phases, there wasn't such thing as irrelevant data). From that, he had received two take-home points.

First, those four might have been victims of the same serial killer who had been throwing people all over the place into a horde of shadows. How an ordinary person managed to survive their little grabby hands was beyond his understanding, but it was too much of a longshot to assume that the persona-awakening had occurred in the nick of time for all four cases.

Second, the investigation was destined to be awkward as hell.

_Hi, I just want to ask about the time you possibly have been kidnapped by a serial murderer….hopefully it hadn't been too traumatic an experience…_

Ken scratched the back of his head. That just couldn't it be phrased in a way that make it less awkward, not that approaching the any of them would be easy in the first place.

For different but equally valid reasons, the idol and the delinquent weren't the most approachable type of people, and a first-year student trying to chummy up with the local inn manager might would raise too many questions. Too troublesome. Out of the four, the detective was his safest bet, the final one the list by the date of disappearance

_Guess I'll work my way backward…Would've been easier if we can just called them in for an interrogation…_

But they weren't polices, and even the police force would be face a huge shitstorm called 'fundamental human rights' should they nab some innocent civilian to be interrogated. News spread like wild fire nowadays, where authorities could be bashed, vilified, and disapproved all over the internet. Ken wasn't an opponent of free speech, but being on the receiving end made things a little different.

_Viva information age…_

Ken squeezed himself into a dead-end corner, making sure that his back was against the wall before retrieving the files. An intruding eyes would force him into a position to answer many difficult questions, not that there would be any in the hallway at this time.

The detective's PDF file contained a photograph of a young woman with sharply-trimmed hair. Her name was printed in bold letters under the photo.

Shirogane Naoto.

Ken recalled seeing it in the news more than once, the so-called rising star of the Japanese police force.

_Hope you'll live up to your reputation, miss detective…_

Ken had worked his way through half the document, when a certain sound hit him through the soft and steady raindrops, faintly at first like a whisper. Eventually, it fleshed out into a song. The piano was playing late afterschool in the club, where it was supposed to be empty.

A reminder of a classic school horror story, cycled countless times through generations of students.

But Ken wasn't scared of ghosts. Few persona users would be, knowing that many fodders for any horror story could be simplified to the words _shadows_ and _personas_. Pulling the string on a mystery and its root tended to be one or the other.

Ken shifted his legs out of the leaning posture. The music room was upstairs.

…_Can't hurt to take a look. _

**Yasogami High, Rooftop **

Kujikawa Rise disliked Monday, particularly the first Monday of the semester, when the next weekend seemed years away and the next vacation decades, but this particular Monday was only becoming worse.

"Listen, listen! You remember Risette? The one that used to be an idol?"

The shrill squeaking and squawking penetrated jazzy beat from her earphone. Rise looked behind the metal pipe she was leaning on. There were two girls on the rooftop, probably first year, whose names Rise hardly remembered if she had ever heard.

_Learn to look around you before starting to gossip…Thanks._

"The one that announced her big return? Wasn't that a while ago?"

"Yeah, yeah, and guess what? Seems like she got kicked out. Now, she's back out here."

"No way! Those idols are only good for their looks. What's she going to do now that she had to use her head?"

"Who knows? Bet she knows a lot of _technique_ to smooch up to the teacher-"

Rise had enough. She unplugged her earphone and walked in between the conversing pair.

_You two don't know anything…_

The gossipers' face paled, choked on their words. Their conversation fell dead, but she knew the guilt wouldn't last long. Their gossip would continue even before she reached ground floor. "Kujikawa-san…"

"Oh, don't mind me…" Rise lowered her head and quickened her steps past the pair down the staircase.

_None of you know anything…_

Rise knew from the beginning that there was little space remaining in the show biz to accommodate a returning idol, but she didn't want to disappoint him.

The man who was now far beyond her grasp.

The industry had moved on while she was gone. New idols came and took her place in the spotlight: younger, cuter, and perhaps even more talented than she was. The agencies weren't interested in her talent. They were interested her dirt over the year of absence: secret love affair, pregnancy, substance abuses, any reason to make an idol retired. Seeing none, they promptly lost interest and left, but not before leaving her with a storm of new gossips to deal with.

After the connections died off and the channels were exhausted, Rise gave up and returned the life of an ordinary student. The buzz died to an occasional murmurs and rumors across the corridor, and soon the name 'Risette' just stopped being special.

'Risette' became an ordinary third year student, who wasn't even that good at studying.

Then came the talks and the gossips, sometime bluntly along the hallway and some other time more tactfully among private discussion. For the effort of trying to return to the world of celebrity, she became a target to be mocked by those she hardly knew. The adults were hardly any help. They were quick to point out her fall from fame as a warning for those starry-eye girls dreaming up their place in the show-biz.

Rise quickened her pace. The music room was only a turn away on the next corridor, just a quick stroll away. She managed to slip in with no one noticing.

Anger still burned, buzzing inside her ears like wasps. Those girl talked as if they had gained an access her most intimate thoughts. There was more to Kujikawa Rise than the dress, the dye, and the makeup. There was more to an idol after the songs and the stage ambience had been taken away.

_Sure…there's still the pretty face and the breasts and the hind side. Who would give a hoot about everything else…?_

There was a time when she would smile. Even though it hurt, she would smile _at them_. An idol was trained to flaunt an unbroken smile through all the daily irks and annoyances, but the façade took its toll. Eventually, the smile fell.

"Just when did everything get to be so complicated?" Rise mumbled. Her eyes traced the polished black body of the music room piano like an old friend.

Having the investigation team besides her helped, but the school was a battlefield that she needed to brave through alone. Kanji and Naoto were busy living their youth, and the senpais had graduated. They were not enough.

She needed more…

She needed him…

"Yu-Senpai…it's just so hard without you backing me up." Rise placed both hands on the piano. Her own reflection on the glossy black surface looked ugly. "Senpai…"

The cry and the moan eventually grew silent, then Rise burst into a fit of broken laughter. It was a sad girl's way of cheering herself up, knowing that the sound was confined with the space of the music room.

"Really, what am I doing…?" Rise mumbled, wiping away the dampness in her eyes after the laugh had subsided. The laughter only left a scornful echo toward herself. "After all…Yu-senpai belongs to Yukiko-senpai now…"

Rise tried hard to prevent the pain and the disdain from spilling into her voice. At least, she believed she did, but beneath a thin layer of calm were storms that threatened to break through.

She needed to let some of it off.

She had waited for this moment. With the school band on the break, few students would actually make a detour to the corridor where the music room is located. Songs used to be her passion even without all the glamor of the lightings, the dancers, and the stage.

Primed on the white keyboard, her ten fingers began to dance, pressed on down on each key with the just-right strength and tempo.

Rise wasn't the best pianist, but the piece she chose was not complicated, just one of the lesser-known song that the she performed countless times. Compared to the complete stage ensemble, the sound of the piano alone gave a hollowed accompaniment, but it was enough. This haunting tune was enough to rescue her.

Rise began to sing. The words danced, riding on the melody. Music resonated, tearing down limits and constraints. Empowerment in the mire of powerlessness.

But her solace was cut short.

The singing died and so did the piano, when she noticed another head had poked in through the doorway, another first-year boy.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. The door wasn't closed properly…Oh, I'm Ken Amada, by the way." The first year sheepishly tried to explain himself as he was caught in a compromising position. "I was just listening and well….Was just thinking that was a nice song."

"Liar," Rise interrupted flatly. That was the excuse they always used when caught.

The same anger began to bubble from within. He was just another curious first year. She had seen too many of them, all hawking and hounding around to observe her like a zoo exhibit. A few weeks into the semester, not even they would care to give her a glance. Concealed emotions overflowed, stronger and unstoppable.

"You just wanted to take a peek… Is it that really that interesting to see someone failing after trying so hard?" Rise pressed on, trying to keep her voice steady.

"I'm sorry, but that's really not what I had in mind…Sorry, would you mind we talk a little bit? I've got some q-"

"I don't take questions now. I've had my share of being interviewed for the last two years." Without bothering to give him a second glance, she packed up. Entire scores of music sheets swept into her school bag.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Is that all? I have an appointment with someone after this…" Rise waved Ken off, not with a hint of aggressiveness or anger. The way she looked now she was more of a husk than a person.

Rise walked straight into toward him and looked up. Her eyes were damp, but something inside didn't quite turn her into a damsel in distress. She hadn't bite, but wouldn't hesitate to.

"Please move. You're blocking the exit."

"Oh…I'm sorry…" But Ken had only apologized to the air as Rise had squeezed herself through a tiny gap and marched off without throwing a second glance his way.

Ken scratched the back of his head and sighed, watching her back becoming smaller and finally disappeared down the stair.

_Kujikawa Rise, the idol...certainly a difficult one to approach…. _


End file.
